TOMATO BASIL PIE

This is my most requested 'summer' pie. I have seen men eat a whole pie at one sitting. Therefore I make at least 6 to 8 pies at a time and I only make these delectable jewels 'in season'. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell
5 Roma tomatoes (out of season)
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
4 nice cloves of garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
chopped fresh basil for garnish

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella on bottom of pie shell. Cut tomatoes in wedges and drain on paper towels. Drain well...turn them over and make sure that you get all of the moisture that you can out of them or your pie will end up soggy...and who wants to eat a soggy pie? If you are using garden fresh tomatoes (in season) peel them and slice about 1/4-inch thick and seed if needed and drain well on paper towels. Arrange the wedges or slices over the cheese in the pie shell.

Process the basil and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Combine remaining 1 cup mozzarella, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Spoon evenly over basil mixture to cover top, making sure to spread all the way to the edge of the crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm garnished with fresh chiffonaded basil. Delicious!

Cooks Note: to chiffonade basil, stack several leaves together and roll up like you would a cigarette and then cut in slices with a sharp knife. A fancy and fun little trick.

"I'm not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they'd come up sliced."~Attributed to both Miller Barber and Lee Trevino